Internation fee - Page 2

La Coccinelle · 05-28-2011, 02:27 PM

All this whining over five cents? Believe me, if I could buy a Nook or a Kindle and get a decent number of books without having to deal with geographical restrictions, I'd gladly pay an extra five cents per book. Heck, I'd probably be willing to pay an extra buck more, if it meant my e-reader wasn't hobbled by stupid e-copyright issues.

Let's try to keep things in perspective here.

sonyreaderfan · 05-28-2011, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by La Coccinelle

All this whining over five cents? Believe me, if I could buy a Nook or a Kindle and get a decent number of books without having to deal with geographical restrictions, I'd gladly pay an extra five cents per book. Heck, I'd probably be willing to pay an extra buck more, if it meant my e-reader wasn't hobbled by stupid e-copyright issues.

Let's try to keep things in perspective here.

I guess things are different for you because you are in Canada. I just try to support the "little guys." In general, people don't like hidden fees. What's in Kobo bookstores are also available in other stores. What this means is that from now on I'll have to buy from US stores such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Sony from now on. (I don't trust borders.com.)

SensualPoet · 05-29-2011, 12:34 AM

This was beaten to death a year ago here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...80&postcount=1

As the second post in this thread pointed out, it is your credit card company adding the charge, not Kobo. Kobo is not misleading anyone: this is the agreement you signed between you and Visa.

sonyreaderfan · 06-02-2011, 02:21 AM

Looks like the fact mentioned in the earlier post about Borders being Kobo's US presence no longer applies.

http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/bo...ders-directly/

Borders stops fulfilling ebook orders directly
" Borders has stopped doing ebooks,
kind of. They always used Kobo to power their ebook store, but now
they’ve cut themselves out of things and ebook purchases are directly
through Kobo. "

Well, that's too bad. I don't know who in the US would want to subject themselves to the international service fee for doing transaction with Kobo. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or even Sony, ftw!

Blossom · 06-02-2011, 03:16 AM

I just buy a gift card to cut down on all the fees. I get charge 2% on all foreign transactions. So it's just cheaper for me to just buy a gift card then to do individual purchases with my credit card.

khalleron · 06-02-2011, 11:47 AM

Get a Capital One credit card. Capital One does not charge the foreign exchange fee.

Problem solved.

m_bisson · 06-02-2011, 01:09 PM

I've never been charged by Mastercard for buying stuff from the states.

taming · 06-02-2011, 09:07 PM

Folks might want to look at this to see what the various US banks charge for foreign transactions. Seems greedy to me, but then again, we're talking US banks.

http://www.flyerguide.com/wiki/index...reign_Exchange

kiwipippa · 06-03-2011, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m_bisson

I've never been charged by Mastercard for buying stuff from the states.

Where are you based? There was a huge Commerce Commission investigation in New Zealand a few years ago where the major banks were fined. They had been "hiding" the conversion fees in the exchange rate itself so you never saw the fee charged - instead it just looked like you had a poor rate. Now banks in NZ must itemise all the fees on your credit card accounts.

Here's a link for anyone interested. http://www.monstersandcritics.com/ne...edit_card_fees

M_Bisson, could your fees be included in the exchange rate?

JCKobo · 06-03-2011, 05:36 PM

We're working on putting an end to this issue for once and for all - we have all the paper work done and are just working on the technical change so US banks won't charge Kobo customers a fee.

We expect to be live with this fix in two weeks. Bear with us!

Blossom · 06-03-2011, 05:40 PM

Oh this is great news!

khalleron · 06-03-2011, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m_bisson

I've never been charged by Mastercard for buying stuff from the states.

Yes, you have. It's just been hidden in the currency conversion rate.

US banks are required to itemize it now, which is why the OP noticed it.

Visa and Mastercard each charge a 1% conversion rate, many banks add 2-3% on top of that.

Capital One eats the 1% on foreign exchanges - they don't charge a conversion fee at all.

I'm not affiliated with Capital One in any way, but I do have one of their cards for that very reason. It's great for traveling internationally.

taming · 06-03-2011, 09:07 PM

Kobo sells in CAD in Canada and USD in the US. I don't know that it is actually a currency conversion fee--in any case, this particular transaction fee will be gone in a few weeks.

NightBird · 06-04-2011, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCKobo

We're working on putting an end to this issue for once and for all - we have all the paper work done and are just working on the technical change so US banks won't charge Kobo customers a fee.

We expect to be live with this fix in two weeks. Bear with us!

Yahoo!!

m_bisson · 06-04-2011, 07:39 PM

1% is a lot... it may very well be hidden. I'll work out the math myself next time I buy something.

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05-28-2011, 02:27 PM	#16
La Coccinelle Connoisseur Posts: 67 Karma: 432 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Canada Device: Kobo (original)	All this whining over five cents? Believe me, if I could buy a Nook or a Kindle and get a decent number of books without having to deal with geographical restrictions, I'd gladly pay an extra five cents per book. Heck, I'd probably be willing to pay an extra buck more, if it meant my e-reader wasn't hobbled by stupid e-copyright issues. Let's try to keep things in perspective here.

05-29-2011, 12:34 AM	#18
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	This was beaten to death a year ago here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...80&postcount=1 As the second post in this thread pointed out, it is your credit card company adding the charge, not Kobo. Kobo is not misleading anyone: this is the agreement you signed between you and Visa.

06-02-2011, 02:21 AM	#19
sonyreaderfan Groupie Posts: 182 Karma: 203167 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: Sony Reader Prs 950, iPad	Looks like the fact mentioned in the earlier post about Borders being Kobo's US presence no longer applies. http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/bo...ders-directly/ Borders stops fulfilling ebook orders directly " Borders has stopped doing ebooks, kind of. They always used Kobo to power their ebook store, but now they’ve cut themselves out of things and ebook purchases are directly through Kobo. " Well, that's too bad. I don't know who in the US would want to subject themselves to the international service fee for doing transaction with Kobo. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or even Sony, ftw!

06-02-2011, 03:16 AM	#20
Blossom Treasure Seeker Posts: 18,708 Karma: 26026435 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices	I just buy a gift card to cut down on all the fees. I get charge 2% on all foreign transactions. So it's just cheaper for me to just buy a gift card then to do individual purchases with my credit card.

06-02-2011, 11:47 AM	#21
khalleron Kate Posts: 1,700 Karma: 3605799 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Oregon, United States Device: MeeBook, Kobo Libra Colour	Get a Capital One credit card. Capital One does not charge the foreign exchange fee. Problem solved.

06-02-2011, 01:09 PM	#22
m_bisson Groupie Posts: 170 Karma: 25803 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: kobo touch :)	I've never been charged by Mastercard for buying stuff from the states.

06-02-2011, 09:07 PM	#23
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	Folks might want to look at this to see what the various US banks charge for foreign transactions. Seems greedy to me, but then again, we're talking US banks. http://www.flyerguide.com/wiki/index...reign_Exchange

06-03-2011, 05:36 PM	#25
JCKobo Kobo Product Guy Posts: 244 Karma: 36848 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Vox	We're working on putting an end to this issue for once and for all - we have all the paper work done and are just working on the technical change so US banks won't charge Kobo customers a fee. We expect to be live with this fix in two weeks. Bear with us!

06-03-2011, 05:40 PM	#26
Blossom Treasure Seeker Posts: 18,708 Karma: 26026435 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices	Oh this is great news!

06-03-2011, 09:07 PM	#28
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	Kobo sells in CAD in Canada and USD in the US. I don't know that it is actually a currency conversion fee--in any case, this particular transaction fee will be gone in a few weeks.

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06-04-2011, 07:39 PM	#30
m_bisson Groupie Posts: 170 Karma: 25803 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: kobo touch :)	1% is a lot... it may very well be hidden. I'll work out the math myself next time I buy something.